US President’s Hope for Gaza Ceasefire
On Monday, 26th, the President of the United States, Joe Biden, expressed his hope for a ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip. He anticipates that an agreement will be reached by the following Monday, the 4th of March.
Close to a Ceasefire Agreement
Biden’s comments were delivered during a press interaction in New York. According to the President, his National Security advisor informed him that they are close to reaching an agreement. “We are close, we are close, but we haven’t achieved it yet. My hope is that by next Monday, we will have a ceasefire,” he said.
Progress in Negotiations for a Ceasefire
Jake Sullivan, Biden’s National Security Advisor, had already revealed on Sunday (25) in an interview with CNN that the US, Israel, Egypt, and Qatar had agreed on the “basic lines” that would facilitate a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the exchange of Israeli hostages for Palestinian prisoners.
President’s Public Appearance amidst the Ongoing Negotiations
Biden’s statement came as he was visiting an ice cream shop in New York. As he enjoyed a cone of chocolate and mint ice cream, he was in the company of TV presenter Seth Meyers, who was celebrating the tenth anniversary of his show, ‘Late Night with Seth Meyers’.
Public Protest for a Ceasefire
Prior to Biden’s comments, a group of protesters had gathered at the Rockefeller Center, where Biden was scheduled for an interview with Meyers, to voice their opposition to the war in Gaza and call for a ceasefire.
Advancements in Doha Talks
On the same Monday, sources privy to the negotiations in Doha between delegations from Qatar, Egypt, the USA, Israel, and the Palestinian Islamic group Hamas, informed EFE that progress was being made towards an agreement on the exchange of hostages in Gaza for Palestinian prisoners.
Previous Consultations
The talks in Doha followed a round of consultations held on Friday (23) and Saturday (24) in Paris, France. The consultations involved Israel, the USA, Egypt, and Qatar, and were aimed at defining the terms of a new agreement.
Past Truce Agreement
Since the beginning of the war, Israel and Hamas have only managed to reach a week-long truce agreement once, at the end of November. This truce resulted in the release of 105 hostages in exchange for 240 Palestinian prisoners.
Origin of the Gaza War
The war in the Gaza Strip began after a series of terrorist attacks carried out by Hamas on October 7, 2023. These attacks resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,200 people, and the kidnapping of another 230.
